Meaning & use
grassroots
Last updated
Originating from or involving ordinary people rather than a movement's or organization's leadership.
See it in a sentence
The campaign was powered by grassroots volunteers knocking on doors across the city.
Grassroots organizing helped the small nonprofit grow into a national movement.
A note on using this word
Often contrasted with decisions or campaigns driven 'from the top down' by leaders or institutions.
Words with a similar meaning
community-basedbottom-up
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
top-down
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